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Quality service in Timely fashion at Reasonable cost

Compliance

Section 106, ARPA, NAGPRA, CFR Part 79, MOU’s, DRP’s… Federal, state and local regulations pertaining to cultural resources can be confounding. With over 30 years of experience and nearly 700 completed projects in the Upper Midwest, MVAC can facilitate and solve your Cultural Resource Management requirements. We assist all levels of government agencies as well as private engineering firms and developers, and residential customers.  In fact, we have trained regulatory personnel in understanding their own guidelines. We customize our services to your specific needs, ensuring regulatory compliance and project progression. Give us a call at 608.785.8451 (Katherine Stevenson) or 608.785.6475 (Vicki Twinde-Javner) and we will walk you through the steps involved.

Planning

Cultural Resources Management Services:

• Evaluation of CRM needs
• Coordination with federal, state, and local agencies and tribal groups
• Integration with GIS and other planning tools
• Preparation of National Register nominations and planning documents

Project Implementation

Prehistoric and Historic Archaeology:

• Literature and records review
• Field work:
  Phase I survey to establish the presence or absence of archaeological sites
  Phase II evaluation to determine eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places
  Phase III excavation to recover data in advance of construction
• Laboratory analysis and data management
• Cartography and GIS data integration
• Report preparation, submission, and follow‑through
• Permanent artifact curation in federally approved facility

Environmental Archaeology, Geoarchaeology, and Geomorphology:

• Detection and analysis of buried sites
• Soil coring and analysis
• Paleo‑landscape reconstruction and other environmental studies
• Analysis of plant and animal remains

Historic Preservation Services:

• Historical Research
• Historic Properties Survey – Section 106

Public Outreach

Many Phase III projects require an outreach component in order to share the information gained with the public. People are fascinated by the previous inhabitants of their area, and we have a national reputation for making archaeology inviting and exciting! MVAC is one of the only firms in the Upper Midwest that produces exhibits, public talks, school programs, and interpretive information. Our public outreach products are of exceptional quality, always benefiting the regional heritage tourism industry.

Reputation for Excellence

Cultural Resource Management Services in:

• Archaeology
• Geomorphology
• Historical Archaeology2012 WisDOT Tribal Excellence Award
• Public Education

We finish the project on time, within budget, with satisfied clients that utilize us again and again. We have a skilled and flexible staff, and an extensive equipment reserve. With our help, your project will be completed in a reasonable time frame. We are ready to meet your needs.

Right: 2012 WisDOT Tribal Excellence awarded to MVAC for providing exemplary contributions and services to building and enhancing partnerships with Wisconsin DOT and Wisconsin Tribal communities.

Competitive Cost

We have a solid history of successful contract bidding. Since we specialize in the archaeology and history of the Upper Midwest, we know what to look for. Our central location minimizes travel costs, making us the cost effective choice.

Professional Staff

Excavation

Our staff has earned MVAC the reputation of one of the top cultural resource organizations in the Midwest.

• Senior staff with advanced degrees in Anthropology/Archaeology, qualified to serve a Principal Investigators under the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archaeology and Historic Preservation.
• Archaeologists approved to conduct burial site authentications in the state of Minnesota, and burial sites investigations in Wisconsin.
• Specialists in paleoethnobotany, archaeozoology, and archaeology outreach.

MVAC Staff:

Michael A. Bednarchuk M.A. – MVAC Laboratory Manager

Jean M. Dowiasch B.S. – MVAC Research Archaeologist, Educational Coordinator, Graphic and GIS Specialist

Wendy K. Holtz-Leith B.S. – MVAC Research Archaeologist

Bonnie L. Jancik M.E.P.D. – MVAC Director of Public Outreach

Timothy L. McAndrews Ph.D. – MVAC Director; Professor, UWL, Dept. of Archaeology & Anthropology

Katherine Stevenson Ph.D. – MVAC Projects Director

Vicki L. Twinde-Javner M.S. – MVAC Senior Research Archaeologist

Research Associates:

David Anderson Ph.D. – MVAC Research Associate; Associate Professor, UWL, Dept. of Archaeology & Anhthropoogy

Constance M. Arzigian Ph.D. – MVAC Senior Research Associate; Associate Lecturer, UWL, Dept. of Archaeology & Anthropology

Suzanne M. Harris M.S. – MVAC Research Associate

Amy Nicodemus Ph.D. – MVAC Research Associate; Assistant Professor, UWL, Dept, of Archaeology & Anthropology

James L. Theler Ph.D. – MVAC Senior Research Associate; Professor Emeritus, UWL, Dept. of Archaeology & Anthropology

Associate:

Strata Morph Geoexploration, Inc. ‑ Geoprobe and vibracore deep coring and geomorphology

Satisfied Customers

As of 2013, we have successfully completed numerous projects and nearly 1,000 project reports in our Reports of Investigation series. Whether it is a planned road, cell tower, sewage treatment facility, or floodplain stabilization, MVAC is the best choice. A sampling of our clients:

Corporate Clients

• Dairyland Power Cooperative
• Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center
• Northern States Power Company
• Tri-Leaf Engineering
• Wisconsin River Power Company
• Wisconsin Valley Improvement Co.

Government Clients

• Wisconsin Department of Transportation
• Natural Resources Conservation Service
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• St. Paul District Corps of Engineers
• Ho‑Chunk Nation
• National Park Service

Municipal Clients

• La Crosse County, WI
• Adams County, WI
• Richland County, WI
• Houston County, MN
• Carroll County, Iowa
• City of La Crosse, WI
• City of Fond du Lac, WI
• City of Prairie du Chien, WI
• Village of Bagley, WI
• Village of Hatley, WI

Quotes from Clients

Two people looking at a display case.

“An Oneota Village was uncovered during the early stages of our building construction.  Not wanting to destroy it, we contacted MVAC.  They quickly mobilized a skilled team of archaeologists and rescued the site.  The findings are displayed in our corporate headquarters and are one of the most popular aspects of our building tour.”  
– Frank Linder, retired General Manager, Dairyland Power

“We were planning to develop land in an area that was likely to contain burials.  MVAC’s team quickly determined that our plans could proceed without impact to the site.  Our concerns were alleviated in a matter of days.” 
– Bruce Larson, Northern States Power Company

Building under construction.

“We were really pleased with the quick response and cooperation of MVAC’s archaeologists in this project.  Within two days the artifacts that had been present were rescued and the site cleared for construction.” 
– Paul Gleason, Vice President, Elmwood Corporation